Adaptive imaging using digital light processing

1. A system for adaptively imaging a scene, comprising: a digital light processing apparatus adapted for controllably reflecting at least first and second images of said scene in at least a first direction based on control data to thereby generate corresponding first and second intensity modulated images of said scene; an image detector, optically coupled to said digital light processing apparatus along said first direction of reflection, for detecting said first and second intensity modulated images corresponding to said at least first and second images of said scene and generating first and second detected image data corresponding to said at least first and second images; and an image data processor, coupled to said image detector and receiving said first and second detected image data therefrom, and coupled to said digital light processing apparatus, for processing said first detected image data into first control data, providing said first control data to said digital light processing apparatus for adaptive control thereof, and generating output image data from said second detected image data and said first control data, said output image data having a quality greater than said first detected image data or said second detected image data.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said digital light processing apparatus comprises a digital micromirror device.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising an image focusing device, optically coupled to said scene and said digital micromirror device and positioned therebetween, for focusing said at least first and second images of said scene onto said digital light processing apparatus.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein said image focusing device comprises a lens.

5. The system of claim 2 , further comprising an image focusing device, optically coupled to said image detector and said digital micromirror device and positioned therebetween, for focusing said first and second intensity modulated images of said scene onto said image detector.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said image focusing device comprises a lens.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein said image detector comprises a CCD camera.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein said image data processor comprises a general purpose computer including software for processing said first detected image data into said first control data; providing said first control data to said digital micromirror device, and generating said output image data from said second detected image data and said first control data.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second image detector, optically coupled to said digital light processing apparatus along a second direction of reflection therefrom and adapted for receiving further intensity modulated images of said scene therefrom, for detecting said further intensity modulated images of said scene and generating corresponding further detected image data, and wherein said image data processor is further coupled to said second image detector for receiving said further detected image data therefrom, and adapted for processing said second detected image data into second control data.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a beam splitter, optically coupled to said digital light processing apparatus along said first direction of reflection, for splitting said intensity modulated images therefrom into a partial transmission and a partial reflection, wherein said image detector is optically coupled to said beam splitter along a direction of said partial transmission, and a second image detector is optically coupled to said beam splitter along a direction of said partial reflection for detecting said intensity modulated images of said scene along said direction of partial reflection and generating corresponding detected image data, and wherein said image data processor is further coupled to said second image detector for receiving said corresponding detected image data therefrom, and adapted for processing said corresponding detected image data into second control data.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second digital light processing apparatus adapted for controllably reflecting said first and second intensity modulated images of said scene in at least a second direction, optically coupled to said digital light processing apparatus along said first direction of reflection thereof, wherein said image detector is optically coupled to said second digital light processing apparatus through said second direction of reflection from said second digital light processing apparatus.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a second image detector, wherein said second image detector is optically coupled to said second digital light processing apparatus through a further direction of reflection from said second digital light processing apparatus.

13. A system for adaptively imaging a scene, comprising: a digital light processing apparatus adapted for controllably reflecting at least first and second images of said scene in at least a first direction based on control data to thereby generate corresponding first and second intensity modulated images of said scene; an image focusing device, optically coupled to said scene and said digital light processing apparatus and positioned therebetween, for focusing said first and second images of said scene onto said digital light processing apparatus; an image detector, optically coupled to said digital light processing apparatus along said first direction of reflection, for detecting said first and second intensity modulated images of said scene and generating first and second detected image data; and an image data processor, coupled to said image detector and receiving said first and second detected image data therefrom, and coupled to said digital light processing apparatus, for processing said first detected image data into first control data, providing said first control data to said digital light processing apparatus for adaptive control thereof, generating output image data from said second detected image data and said first control data, and processing said output image data with filter data to generate final image data.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein said controllable digital light processing apparatus comprises a digital micromirror device.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein said image focusing device comprises a lens.

16. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a second image focusing device, optically coupled to said image detector and said digital micromirror device and positioned therebetween, for focusing said first and second intensity modulated images of said scene onto said image detector.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said second image focusing device comprises a lens.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein said image detector comprises a CCD camera.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein said filter data comprises Laplacian filter data.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein said filter data comprises first and second optical kernel data.

21. A method for controlling adaptive imaging of a scene using an N-level digital light processing apparatus adapted for controllably reflecting at least first and second images of said scene in at least a first direction to thereby generate corresponding intensity modulated images of said scene along at least said first direction, comprising: setting a digital light processing apparatus control signal corresponding to said scene to an initial level N; taking a first measurement of scene energy at one or more pixels corresponding to at least a portion of said scene using said initial control signal; revising said digital light processing apparatus control signal to a second level using said first measurement and a secondary control value, the secondary control value based at least in part on a level of defocusing of the digital light processing apparatus; taking a second measurement of scene energy at said one or more pixels using said revised control signal; and generating an output image using said second measurement of scene energy and said revised control signal, said output image having a quality greater than the first measurement of scene energy or the second measurement of scene energy.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising: comparing said second measurement with a threshold value; updating said digital light processing apparatus control signal to a third level based on said comparison of said second measurement; taking a third measurement of scene energy at said one or more pixels using said updated control signal; and generating said output image using said third measurement of scene energy and said updated control signal, said output image having a quality greater than the second measurement of scene energy or the third measurement of scene energy.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein taking said measurements of scene energy at said one or more pixels comprises taking said measurements of scene energy at a first group of one or more pixels and a second group of one or more pixels, said second group comprising one or more pixels corresponding to a different portion of said scene from said first group.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising: comparing any most recent measurements with a threshold value; updating said digital light processing apparatus control signals to one or more new levels using said comparisons of said any most recent measurements; taking additional measurements of scene energy at said first and second groups of one or more pixels using said updated control signals updated using said comparisons of said any most recent measurements; and generating said output image using said additional measurements of scene energy and said updated control signals, said output image having a quality greater than said additional measurements of scene energy.

25. The method of claim 21 , further comprising determining whether said first measurement is below a first threshold value and if said first measurement is below said threshold value, determining whether said first measurement is below a second threshold value; and wherein revising said digital light processing apparatus control signal comprises revising said digital light processing apparatus control signal to a lower second level if said first measurement is determined to not be below said first threshold value, to a higher second level if said first measurement is determined to be below said first threshold value and below said second threshold value, and to the same second level if said first measurement is determined to be below said first threshold value and not below said second threshold value.

26. The method of claim 21 , wherein revising said digital light processing apparatus control signal comprises revising said digital light processing apparatus control signal to the second level using said first measurement and a remapping value.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein said one or more pixels comprises a first group of one or more pixels and a second group of one or more pixels, said second group comprising one or more pixels corresponding to a different portion of said scene as said first group, the method further comprising: comparing said second measurement to a threshold value; updating said digital light processing apparatus control signal to a third level using said remapping value and said comparison of said second measurement; taking a third measurement of scene energy at said one or more pixels using said updated control signal; comparing any most recent measurements with a further threshold value; updating said digital light processing apparatus control signals to one or more new levels using said remapping value and said comparisons of said any most recent measurements; taking additional measurements of scene energy at said two or more groups of one or more pixels using said updated control signals updated using said comparisons of said any most recent measurements; and generating said output image using said additional measurements of scene energy and said updated control signals, said output image having a quality greater than said additional measurements of scene energy.

28. The method of claim 21 , wherein said one or more pixels comprises a first group of one or more pixels and a second group of one or more pixels, said second group comprising one or more pixels corresponding to a different portion of said scene as said first group, the method further comprising: comparing said second measurement to a threshold value; updating said digital light processing apparatus control signal to a third level using said secondary control value and said comparison of said second measurement; taking a third measurement of scene energy at said one or more pixels using said updated control signal; comparing any most recent measurements with a further threshold value; updating said digital light processing apparatus control signals to one or more new levels using said secondary control value and said comparisons of any most recent measurements; taking additional measurements of scene energy at said first and second groups of one or more pixels using said updated control signals updated using said comparisons of said any most recent measurements; and generating said output image using said additional measurements of scene energy and said updated control signals, said output image having a quality greater than said additional measurements of scene energy.

29. The method of claim 21 , wherein said first measurement includes first measurements from at least two differently positioned sensors and said second measurement includes second measurements from said at least two differently positioned sensors.

30. The method of claim 21 , wherein said initial digital light processing apparatus control signal includes two or more control signals and said revised digital light processing apparatus control signal includes two or more control signals.

31. A method for controlling adaptive imaging of a scene using an N-level digital light processing apparatus adapted for controllably reflecting an image of said scene in at least a first direction to thereby generate corresponding intensity modulated images of said scene, comprising: setting a digital light processing apparatus control signal corresponding to a portion of said scene to an initial level N; taking a measurement of scene energy at one or more points corresponding to said scene using said initial control signal; convolving said measurement with filter data, said filter data comprising Laplacian filter data; and revising said digital light processing apparatus control signal to a second level using said convolution of said measurement and said filter data.

32. A method for controlling adaptive imaging of a scene using an N-level digital light processing apparatus adapted for controllably reflecting an image of said scene in at least a first direction to thereby generate corresponding intensity modulated images of said scene, comprising: setting a digital light processing apparatus control signal corresponding to a portion of said scene to an initial level N; taking a measurement of scene energy at one or more points corresponding to said scene using said initial control signal; convolving said measurement with filter data; revising said digital light processing apparatus control signal to a second level using said convolution of said measurement and said filter data; convolving said measurement with second filter data; and determining a final image from said convolution of said measurement with said filter data and said convolution of said measurement with said second filter data.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein said filter data comprises first optical kernel data and said second filter data comprises second optical kernel data.